Tiger wrestlers beat Timberline

The Mountain Home Tiger wrestling team managed a split in its home duals at Mountain Home last Tuesday night, coming back to beat Timberline after losing to Nampa.

The Tiger matmen also won two out of four dual matches at the annual High Country Bonneville Duals at Bonneville High School during the week.

Nampa 55

Mountain Home 22

Picking up pins for the Tigers against Nampa were Kyle Hickerson at 125 pounds, Ty Kleffner at 130 pounds and Kole Spaulding at 171 pounds.

Marcos Ortiz won a 17-9 major decision for Mountain Home's other points.

The Tigers came out slow against the Nampa Bulldogs last Tuesday night, and fell behind early.

Mountain Home 43

Timberline 31

The Tigers picked up their first dual match victory of the season last Tuesday night when they beat the Wolves from Timberline at Mountain Home, picking up four pins and two forfeits.

Winning by pins were Kori Andrews at 152 pounds, Chris Knudson at 160, Kole Spaulding at 171 and Charles Davidson at 215 pounds.

Picking up forfeit wins were Nico Pinque at 112 pounds and Kameron Spaulding at 125.

Marcos Ortiz won a 9-1 major decision at 119 pounds.

"I think it's definitely a re-loading year for us," said Tiger wrestling coach Lynn Knudson. "I think as we get along further in the year we're going to be fine, just because of the kids that are going to be going down to the right weight classes, be eligible to go down to the right weight classes because of the new alpha weight rule.

"I'm happy with our performance for the most part. I know they weren't both wins, but I feel confident that things are coming around."

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The Tigers won two and lost four dual matches at the annual High Country Bonneville Duals at Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls over the weekend, with two wrestlers coming home undefeated in the two-day competition.

Friday's action saw the Tigers lose to Bonneville, 44-17, beat Hillcrest, 42-39, and lose to Idaho Falls, 44-30.

On Saturday, the Tigers dropped a 41-29 match to Madison, beat Rigby, 34-33, and lost to Skyline, 46-34.

Two Tiger wrestlers went undefeated at Bonneville. Marcos Ortiz went 6-0 at 119 pounds, as did Kole Spaulding at 171. Nico Pinque (112 pounds) and Kyle Hickerson (125) went 4-2.

Chris Knudson (160) and Tyson Sessions (189) both went 3-3. Kori Andrews (152) went 2-4, and Nick Hoffer (130) and Ty Kleffner (135) went 1-5.

"We had Marcos Ortiz and Kole Spaulding come out of there undefeated and looked really good," said Coach Knudson. "We had opportunities in a lot of different situations where the kids could have won, and with a little bit more time and, again, getting in the weight brackets that they should be, they'll be winners here before too long."

Bonneville won the tourney with 329 points. Idaho Falls was second with 327. Skyline finished third with 270, Post Falls, fourth with 246, Preston next with 238, followed by Rigby with 228, Hillcrest with 215 and Madison with 210. Mountain Home finished ninth in the 12-team competition with 186 points, followed by Bishop Kelly with 144, Vallivue with 141, and Sugar Salem with 121.

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While the Tiger varsity wrestling squad was in Idaho Falls for the Bonneville Duals, a number of Tiger JV team members traveled to Capital Saturday for the Capital JV Wrestling Tournament.

Two Mountain Home wrestlers came home Champions from Capital.

Daniel Doronio, who won the Mountain Home Frosh-Soph 119-pound weight class a week earlier, did the same at the Capital meet.

Robby Bergh took the 135-pound weight class B bracket.

In all, 14 young Tiger wrestlers placed at Capital. Kameron Spaulding, who finished second to Daniel Doronio at 119 pounds at the Mountain Home tourney, did again at the Capital meet.

Matt Ward finished second at 160 pounds, and Levi Vandeberg finished second in the 171-pound weight class B bracket.

Nico Hardman finished third in the 98-pound B bracket. Jon Greenfield was third at 140 pounds, and Brandon Johnson was third in the 152-pound B bracket.

Fourth place finishes went to Josh Baum at 125 pounds, Tanner Carpenter at 140, Graham Winstanley at 145 and Colby Lord at 152 pounds.

Brandon Jones finished the Capital Tournament in fifth at 112 pounds, and Ben Wheeler was sixth at 125 pounds.